SUBSCRIBE
SUBSCRIBE
Heather McKenzie

Heather McKenzie

Senior Editor

Heather McKenzie is a professional journalist with more than five years experience in the biopharmaceutical industry. Since joining BioSpace, she has written more than 200 features and breaking news articles with a particular focus in neuroscience and gene therapy. She has also traveled internationally to cover global biotech hubs such as Israel. In previous roles, she has covered current affairs, sports, education and politics. She previously spent eight years as a senior content producer for executive-level business conferences in the pharma/biotech, legal, energy and business strategy sectors. In her free time, Heather enjoys creative writing, spending time with family and playing with her energetic Russian Blue cat Roofus. She hails from Toronto and has also lived in Chicago and Chesapeake, Virginia. You can reach her at heather.mckenzie@biospace.com.

James R. Martin/Shutterstock
Business
Dysfunctional Tissue Resident CD8 T Cells Have Opposite Effect on Elderly Patients
A study recently conducted at Mayo Clinic showed that dysfunctional Tissue Resident Memory (TRM) CD8 T cells are actually working against the elderly, reducing immunity and enabling residual chronic lung issues after respiratory infections such as COVID-19.
November 13, 2020
 · 
3 min read
 · 
Heather McKenzie
Tada Images / Shutterstock
Drug Development
Five Prime Celebrates Many Firsts in Positive Phase II Cancer Trial
Five Prime Therapeutics Inc., in collaboration Zai Lab Limited on the development bemarituzumab, a novel therapy for front-line advanced non HER2+ gastric or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) cancer, on Wednesday announced groundbreaking positive topline Phase II results.
November 12, 2020
 · 
3 min read
 · 
Heather McKenzie
Photo courtesy of Mispro
Business
Mispro’s Emerging Business Model Helps Biopharma Companies Get to Market Faster
This model has the benefit of giving companies direct oversight of their in vivo studies, allowing them to move faster while operationalizing every dollar of their seed financing.
November 11, 2020
 · 
7 min read
 · 
Heather McKenzie
Job Trends
The Future Looks Bright for mRNA-based Vaccines
It isn’t often that a contestant pulls ahead in a major contest and their competitor wins too, but Moderna – along with other COVID-19 vaccine contenders – will take it.
November 10, 2020
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Heather McKenzie
Katherine Welles / Shutterstock
Deals
Pandemic Provides Silver Linings and FDA Delays for BMS
Setbacks and delays caused by COVID-19 are making everyone, in every facet of life, nervous. This week, that includes legacy Celgene CVR investors who are staging a mass exodus as two drugs under the agreement near the deadline and one, Liso-cel, faces inspection delays.
November 6, 2020
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Heather McKenzie
Policy
Logistics and Efficacy Challenges Force World to Pivot Against COVID-19
When it comes to a novel virus like SARS-CoV2, a certain amount of “rolling with the punches” is required, and governments and global organizations like the World Health Organization are beginning to dismiss certain treatments and devote themselves wholeheartedly to others.
November 5, 2020
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Heather McKenzie
Genetown
Controversy Surrounds Biogen and Eisai’s Alzheimer’s Drug Aducanumab
Biogen and Tokyo-based development partner Eisai are embroiled in controversy surrounding their investigational Alzheimer’s drug, aducanumab.
November 4, 2020
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Heather McKenzie
Sana President and CEO Steve Harr/Courtesy of Sana
Deals
Emerging Biotech Enhances CNS Focus Through a Strategic Acquisition
On October 30, the company announced the acquisition of long-time collaborator Oscine Corp.
November 4, 2020
 · 
4 min read
 · 
Heather McKenzie
Drug Development
Aptevo’s Phase I APVO436 Trial on Right Track Against AML
Aptevo is a clinical-stage biotech company developing novel therapeutics built on its proprietary platform ADAPTIR™technology which is modular and includes bispecific molecules that recognize and bind to two unique target antigens simultaneously.
November 3, 2020
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Heather McKenzie
Drug Development
COVID-19 Vaccine Race Leaders Strive for Balance Between Safety and Urgency
There is an impressive amount of technological ingenuity – mRNA, monoclonal antibodies and more traditional formats – being thrown at the development of a vaccine against COVID-19.
October 30, 2020
 · 
6 min read
 · 
Heather McKenzie
Bio NC
Election Implications for the U.S. and Global COVID-19 Response
The U.S. – and global – response to the COVID-19 pandemic has been volatile at best. This is fair, considering that SARS-CoV-2 is a novel virus with a lethality we haven’t seen in more than a century.
October 30, 2020
 · 
5 min read
 · 
Heather McKenzie
Antoine Yver, Executive Vice President and Global
Business
Enhertu Moves One Step Closer to Giving Gastric Cancer a Gut Punch
AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo’s Enhertu received supplemental Biologics License Application acceptance and U.S. priority review for the treatment of HER2-positive metastatic gastric – or gastroesophageal junction cancer.
October 29, 2020
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Heather McKenzie
Thierry Abribat, Founder and CEO of Amolyt
Drug Development
Biotech Veteran Developing Natural Hormones for Orphan Indications
On October 14th, Amolyt Pharma announced the first dosing in its Phase I trial of AZP-3601 in healthy subjects, a momentous occasion capping off years of hard work in pre-clinical development. The drug aims to walk the biological tightrope in the management of hypoparathyroidism, a rare disease causing muscular pain and cognitive challenges.
October 29, 2020
 · 
5 min read
 · 
Heather McKenzie
BioMidwest
Newly Discovered Immune Cell May Rescue and Reverse Nerve Damage
A pro-regenerative cell discovered by researchers at Ohio State and the University of Michigan could open the door to potentially groundbreaking immunotherapeutic treatments for diseases such as ALS and multiple sclerosis.
October 28, 2020
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Heather McKenzie
Business
Texas is “Going Big” in Biopharma
Texas wants to get the word out: It’s not just for oil and pipelines anymore. The Lone Star State is a rapidly emerging biopharma hub, with more than just a lone focus on oncology.
October 28, 2020
 · 
6 min read
 · 
Heather McKenzie
Load More